As a New Yorker, I’m a firm believer that the only way to survive and thrive in this city (or any other, for that matter) is to leave every opportunity you can get. Whether that’s a day at the beach or a weekend in the woods, the restorative benefits of emerging oneself in nature are scientifically proven.

What’s also proven is the internet’s unquenchable thirst for prefab architecture architecture, tiny homes, and affordable modern cabins. Lucky for you, there’s New York-based design studio Den (formerly Walden).

Based in NYC with an “outdoor lab” in the Catskills just a couple hours up the Hudson River, Den is a rooted design practice that launched selling a series of boxy cabin plans, and is now offering a new catalog of architecturally-inspired designs ranging from A-Frames to modern Barnhouse designs.

Previously we covered their flagship models, the Catskills Tiny House and the Modern Loft Cabin. Now we’re back to drool over the many A-Frame cabins—each sized to offer (rather stylish) shelter for a night, a weekend, or a lifetime.

Though the previous business model allowed for customers to choose from cabin plans, DIY cabin kits, or full service on-site production, Den is now focused largely on simply offering inspired plans designed with affordability and ease of construction in mind. The move away from prefab favors builders and DIYers alike. That said, in late 2020 the brand released a 10' x 10' A-Frame Cabin Kit that reportedly can be assembled in just a weekend. The kit comes with everything one would need, sans tools and a willing group of friends.

Den’s cabin plans range from $149 for a 168 sq ft loft A-Frame up to $499 for a properly modern 1,000 sq ft modern A-Frame home. The Goldilocks weekender A-Frame lands at 415 square feet with plans going for $299.

Keep in mind, these prices do not include the cost of land, nor consider site preparation, furnishings, or the cost of bribing your friends to help you build. Good news is, Den does offer a series of educational guides designed to give land and homeowners insight into the process of building a cabin of their own. The guides range from buying and building in the Hudson Valley (for fellow New York tri-state area folks), to a comprehensive guide on what to look for in a set of plans—and even a guide on why A-frames are so damn popular.

With every detail highly considered, from bathroom fixtures and suggested materials to wood stoves and skylights, these minimalist cabins offer a distinctly elevated approach to backcountry living not often shown by most online cabin kit providers. Den is for the serious aesthetes among us, and we couldn’t be more psyched about it.